GMA Network Inc. has filed a request with the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) to push back the scheduled analog television shutdown, saying key rules for a government support program meant to protect households are still not in place.
NTC Deputy Commissioner Alvin Blanco explained the broadcaster’s petition centers on an assistance program outlined in a joint memorandum circular led by the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), together with the NTC, Presidential Communications Office and other agencies. The program is designed to ensure no TV‑owning households get left behind when analog signals go off‑air, but detailed implementation guidelines have yet to be finalized.
Under NTC Memorandum Circular No. 005‑11‑2025, Metro Manila and nearby provinces must complete their shift to ISDB‑T digital terrestrial television by November 22, 2026 — 12 months after the order took effect. The first‑phase switch‑off covers Metro Manila plus Bulacan, Cavite, Rizal, Laguna, Pampanga and Bataan. A DICT‑commissioned Kantar Media survey showed about 80 percent of TV households in Mega Manila already had digital TV reception as of December last year.
For now, the original deadline remains in force, Blanco said. The NTC will forward GMA’s letter to the DICT to address the broadcaster’s concerns, and will only review a possible extension if the DICT advises it to do so. Should officials agree to an extension, regulators will have to revise the existing circular and follow proper procedures.
For the broadcast firm, a delay helps avoid disruptions for its audience while the government sorts out support measures. For televiewers, the transition to digital TV means sharper picture and sound quality, more channels per broadcast frequency, more reliable signals, and access to emergency warning alerts that can be sent during disasters. Regulators added they will still check how ready other regions are before setting their own analog shutdown timelines.
